Reference: Bettina Bock, Prototypicality and the presentation of semantic change within the project "Deutsche Wortfeldetymologie in europaeischem Kontext" ("Semantic Fields in German Lexicon: Etymology and European Context").Citable link to this page:

Prototypicality and the presentation of semantic change within the project "Deutsche Wortfeldetymologie in europaeischem Kontext" ("Semantic Fields in German Lexicon: Etymology and European Context") Subtitle: Presented at Germanic Lexicography 2 session

Abstract: Within our project we describe the prototypicality of a word by giving its prototypical features. For instance, Modern High German Achsel armpit shows the following prototypical features which we are differing into internal and external relation:internal relation: X IS/CONSISTS OF X HAS 200 years ago we find other features as pointed out in dictionaries of that time:internal relation: X IS/CONSISTS OF external relation: X IS USED FOR .There are three changes within the meaning which tell us something about cultural change, too:The extension of axle differs. So we can explain collocations and compounds still connected with the old feature: mit den Achseln zucken [with - the - armpits - to shrug], to shrug one's shoulders', totally synonym to mit den Schultern zuchen with Schulter (Engl. shoulder) with the prototypical feature , or Achselklappe, epaulette', which we found on the shoulder (in the conceptional thinking of today). The view of the body itself has changed, especially through the hygienic possibilities. Physical work became less important. The prototypical features also allow to describe metaphoric developments: is the feature which leads us to the botanic axilla (in German mostly as compound Blattachsel. The paper shows and explains more examples of semantic change by using prototypical features, which allows to reach new conclusions.